AimPoint Express (Fingers) for Shot Zones

[jshots]

After reading about shot zones in LSW, I have not had enough time to properly measure all of my shot zones, let alone chart them out for the courses I am playing so I came up with this idea that I thought was worth sharing.

Stealing an idea from Aimpoint express, where using your fingers "projects" an angle outward from your eye that will give you the correct "aim point" for a given slope no matter how far away the cup is. Essentially this just means your finger held at a fixed length will always cover the same percentage of the distance, no matter how far your target is.

 

That idea can be used for full shots too!

 

I estimated a percentage on the driving range for my PW at 150 yards, my shots all landed roughly inside of 15 yards either side of my target, so a little less than 10%. I measured about 22 inches from my eyeball to my fingers held at arms length, and it just so happens that 3 fingers width is about 2.25 inches or roughly 10%! 

So now I know that whenever I hold 3 fingers up at arms length, I'm covering roughly 10 percent of the distance. If I place the flag or target on one edge of my finger, the edge of my shot zone should be roughly at the other edge of my finger. If there is trouble inside of my finger, then I can align my finger to the trouble, and move my shot center to the other edge of my finger. It won't help you with the depth of your shot zone, but seems pretty useful on a new/unknown course that you don't have time to chart out.

[iacas]

In addition to what you said, I think two fingers fully extended is about 5%, which should cover your dispersion to one side of the flagstick (or your target) if you're playing really good golf. It's a good quick way to check whether, say, on the range you're hitting "good" shots that are finishing right of the flag, or if they're too far away. If they're within two fingers (IIRC) of a fully extended arm, they're good.

To your OP, this covers the lateral dispersion, sure. It doesn't really cover the distance, of course, or where your Shot Center actually is. It just is a helpful way to cover the lateral dispersion; you should still learn where that dispersion is centered of course.

[jshots]

40 minutes ago, iacas said:

In addition to what you said, I think two fingers fully extended is about 5%, which should cover your dispersion to one side of the flagstick (or your target) if you're playing really good golf. It's a good quick way to check whether, say, on the range you're hitting "good" shots that are finishing right of the flag, or if they're too far away. If they're within two fingers (IIRC) of a fully extended arm, they're good.

You could probably calibrate your bad days too, bring your finger closer to you until your furthest ball at the range is at one edge and your target on the other. Use that same finger distance for the day.

I think you probably want to be more liberal with at least driver, maybe other long clubs too. But I seem to be at closer to 13% off center with my driver, which is like an extra half a finger.

 

Edited August 4, 2022 by jshots

[iacas]

3 minutes ago, jshots said:

You could probably calibrate your bad days too, bring your finger closer to you until your furthest ball at the range is at one edge and your target on the other. Use that same finger distance for the day.

You misunderstand: I'm saying two fingers fully extended is, IIRC, a good measurement for whether you're hitting the ball close enough to your target. For a good player, because it's about 5% (IIRC) which is about the dispersion of a Tour player.

But two fingers feels like a lot, so maybe it was 2.5% per finger and you put two fingers up with the flag in the middle? I dunno.

5 minutes ago, jshots said:

I think you probably want to be more liberal with at least driver, maybe other long clubs too. But I seem to be at closer to 13% off center with my driver, which is like an extra half a finger.

Nope. It's 5% (or whatever) at all distances, and with all clubs.

That 5% obviously gets wider with the driver because it goes farther.

[jshots]

7 minutes ago, iacas said:

You misunderstand: I'm saying two fingers fully extended is, IIRC, a good measurement for whether you're hitting the ball close enough to your target. For a good player, because it's about 5% (IIRC) which is about the dispersion of a Tour player.

But two fingers feels like a lot, so maybe it was 2.5% per finger and you put two fingers up with the flag in the middle? I dunno.

Yeah I understand what you are saying, I just jumped to the calibration idea. If you are having trouble keeping the ball online on the range, or even on the course for that matter, you could always recalibrate your lateral dispersion by either changing number of fingers, or moving your fingers closer to your eye, using an actual bad shot as your measuring stick.

Just by measuring my own dimensions came to like 3.5% per finger. Maybe I have fat fingers or a short arm. Also it is not exactly easy to measure from your eyeball so I might be off a little bit.

 

2 minutes ago, iacas said:

Nope. It's 5% (or whatever) at all distances, and with all clubs.

Really? I hear a lot that avg PGA Tour dispersion with driver is ~70 yards wide at 300 yard distance. 35/300 would be almost 12% off center.

[iacas]

1 hour ago, jshots said:

Really? I hear a lot that avg PGA Tour dispersion with driver is ~70 yards wide at 300 yard distance. 35/300 would be almost 12% off center.

You're confusing their average dispersion with "a good shot." And it's closer to about 60 yards.